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Tuesday, February 19, 2013

Baked Spiced Apple Doughnuts

How do you show those in your life that you love them?

I tend to show it with food. It's one thing to tell them (which I do almost compulsively) but it's another entirely to demonstrate it by not letting them starve to death. This means a lot to my family because they've seen what I do to plants, and they do not want it to happen to them.

These whole wheat baked apple cinnamon doughnuts are a classic example of love and food. Whipped up on a lunch break while answering emails (one of the benefits of working from home), the doughnuts were ready and waiting when the man and boy got home from work and school.

And they're relatively healthy, too, as far as doughnuts are concerned. There's fruit, a little oil, no frying... you get the drift and can justify eating 10 along with me, I'm sure.

So whip up a batch and get sharing!

Baked Spiced Apple Doughnutsadapted from Baked By Rachel(I doubled the recipe and made about 18 doughnuts, so half would make about 9, depending on your pan)

Doughnut Ingredients:

1 cup whole wheat flour

1 cup unbleached all purpose flour

1/2 cup sugar (I reduced this further, but I’m leaving the original amount in case you prefer them more sweet)

1 1/2 tsp baking powder

1/4 tsp cinnamon

1/8 tsp nutmeg

1/8 tsp cloves

pinch of salt

3/4 cup milk

2 eggs

2 tbsp oil

1 tsp vanilla extract

1 1/2 apples, grated and drained

Cinnamon Sugar Ingredients:

1/2 cup sugar

2 tsp cinnamon

Directions:

Get prepared by preheating your oven to 375F, and greasing a doughnut pan.

In a small bowl, combine the dry ingredients (flours, sugar, baking powder, spices, and salt). Mix until just combined.

In the bowl of a large stand mixer, combine the milk, eggs, oil, vanilla, and apples, mixing until well combined.

Add the dry ingredients to the wet, and mix until combined. Be careful not to overmix. No one wants a hockey puck instead of a doughnut.

Using a pastry bag with the tip cut off (or a spoon) pour the batter into the doughnut pan, filling it 2/3 full.

Bake for 10-12 minutes, until they’re a light golden brown and spring back when touched.

Let cool on a wire rack, then dip in a bowl of the cinnamon sugar, coating evenly.